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Papers

No. 2 (2026)

How does the fossil sector age in Lomellina (Italy)? For a long-term perspective on social responses to energy plants.

  • Cecilia Pasini
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3280/rgioa2-2026oa23041
Submitted
giugno 10, 2026
Published
2026-06-25

Abstract

The paper offers a critical elaboration of the debate on social acceptance and opposition to energy technologies. Adopting social attitudes and affective atmospheres as a key to interpret the parable of the petrochemical refinery in Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi (PV), the social side of energy is analysed through the relationship between local populations and energy plants/projects, with the aim to seize its qualitative facets and cumulativity over time. Furthermore, the study reconstructs the path dependence on fossil fuel production, alongside the concrete possibilities for local communities’ agency Methodologically, the contribution affirms the need for long-term qualitative research that succeeds in capturing the complexity of the relations between industry and local community. Accordingly, the perspective that is proposed in the paper constitutes a relevant approach for the study of energy transformations.

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